Deputies: Gun rights activist shot by 4-year-old son 'stable'

PALATKA, Fla. -- Authorities say a Jacksoville gun rights activist is in stable condition after being accidentally shot by her four-year-old son while driving through Palatka Tuesday.

Jamie Gilt, 31, of Jacksonville, was found shot in the driver's seat of a truck near where State Road 20 and Rowland Avenue meet about 3 p.m. by a deputy stopping to check on the vehicle, which was partially in the roadway, according to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office.

Gilt motioned for help and told investigators her son had accidentally shot her. Deputies say evidence found at the scene confirmed that the young boy, who had been sitting in the back seat, was the one who pulled the trigger.

Gilt was rushed to UF Health Shands Gainesville where she's listed in stable condition. Her son, meanwhile, has been placed in the care of family members.

Relatives told investigators Gilt had been traveling to a family member's home in Putnam County to pick up a horse when the shooting happened.

Investigators discovered the gun was legally owned by the victim but it is still unknown how the child got hold of the gun, the Sheriff's Office announced in an update Wednesday.

Detectives are working to determine exactly how the firearm was stored in the vehicle, PCSO said.

According to the Sheriff's Office, Gilt has not been interviewed yet due to her medical condition.

Under Florida law, it's illegal for a person to store or leave, one a premise under his or her control, a loaded firearm in such a manner that it is likely a child can gain access to the firearm.